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Monday, 23 May 2016

The first real advances in forensic pathology

The 16th and 17th centuries covered a
period of major forensic advances. In addition to the publication of the first
pathology reports, this was a time when forensic science was beginning to be
taken seriously.

In Europe, during the 16th century, doctors began
to collate details showing cause and manner of deaths. In particular,
university and army doctors made copious notes which were of use to others when looking
at death by unnatural causes.

A French army surgeon, Ambrose Pare, paid particular
attention to the way internal organs were affected when the victim was
subjected to a violent death.

However, it was two Italian surgeons, Fortunato Fidelis and
Paolo Zacchia, who studied the structural changes in the body. They can fairly claim to be the
fathers of modern forensic science.

When Anton Van Leeuwenhoek constructed the first
high-powered microscope it became possible to study forensic specimens
previously hidden from doctors and those studying causes of death.

It just goes to show that forensic medicine has a longer
history than might be supposed.